Hoisting apparatus.



A. E; NORRIS. HOISTING APPARATUS.

. APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 19 05- .7 991 ,077. Patented May 2, 19-11.

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A. E. NORRIS. HOISTING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1905.

Patented May 2, 1911. 4 sums-slum 2.

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991,077. Patented May 2,1911.

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ALMON E. NORRIS, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOISTING APPARATUS.

Patented May a, 1911. Serial No. 241,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALMoN E. NORRIS, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Hoisting Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention consists in improvements in hoisting and conveying apparatus and particularly in improvements relating to hoisting and conveying systems employing a cable or other track-way along which there is adapted to travel a trolley carriage carrying suitable load-hoisting devices.

My invention relates particularly to the construction of, and the driving mechanism for, the winding drums which operate the ropes or cables controlling the hoisting of the load, or the traversing of the carriage, or both the hoisting and the traversing; it also consists in improvements in rope guiding and equalizing devices, and in the construction of the trolley carriage itself.

My invent-ion will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan in out line of a hoisting engine provided with winding drums illustrating one form or embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partially broken away and partially in section, of the winding drums and driving connections shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 4: and 5 are diagrammatic views showing the cable connections which may be employed, and the cable movements during hoist-ing and traversing respectively; and Figs. 6 and 7 show modified constructions of the winding drums.

In the drawings I have shown, for illustrative purposes, a hoisting engine mounted upon the bed plate a provided with the two cylinders Z) and 6, having piston rods (one of which 0 is shown in Fig. 2), connecting rods (Z and cl and crank disks 6 and e, the latter connected directly to the drum shaft f (see Fig. 3). While this double cylinder, steam hoisting engine is selected to illustrate my invention, it is to be understood that the latter is not limited to any particular type or form of motive means. The drum shaft is suitably j ournaled in bearings 6 carried by the engine frame a and has upon it the two winding drums g and 71., which may be of any suitable construction, but which herein I have shown each of a shape adapted to be embraced by several convolutions of an endless cable to provide the necessary friction for transmitting power to the trolley carriage through the cable as one strand thereof winds upon the drum and the other unwinds. The winding drums shown herein are intended to be operated at will in one direction at one speed, and at'a reduced speed in a reversed relation, and the means for attaining this end will be best'understood by reference to Fig. 3. The drum shaft 7 has fixedly secured to it, to rotate therewith, the pinion g, the teeth of which mesh with one or more pinions 9 the latter journaled upon studs secured to and carried by the part 5/ to which the drum 9 is rigidly attached. Meshing also with the pinion g is an internal gear g carried by or formed upon the member 9, which latter is mounted for free rotation upon the drum shaft Near the opposite end of the hoisting apparatus and upon the drum shaft is provided a second pinion h keyed or otherwise secured to the drum shaft and meshing with one or more ii'itermediate pinions 7L2 journaled upon the studs 72, the latter being, however, secured to and carried by the member M, which, like the member is journaled for free rotation upon the drum shaft. The pinion 72, also gears with the internal gear 725, which is formed upon or carried by the part [L6 fixedly attached to the winding drum h. The free rotatable members and h have formed upon their peripheries suitable brake surfaces embraced by the brake hands 9 and h respectively, which are so connected to the rocker shaft 2' (Fig. 1) that a movement of the hand lever 2" (Fig. 2) connected to the rocker shaft 2' through links 2" and i will serve to securely and simultaneously clasp the said bands and ]L about the surfaces of their respective brake drums to oppose and completely stop further movement thereof. When this takes place, rotation of the drum shaft drives the pinion h in .one direction, the pinion 72, the axis of which is now stationary, in the opposite direction, and the gear if and the drum it also in an opposite direction and at a suitably reduced speed. The pinion g rotating in the same direction as the pinion h causes the pinion g to move and travel about the internal gear now held fast, so that the drum 9 is caused to rotate in the same'direction as the pinion g and oppositely to the drum h. The relative sizes of the different gears is preferably such that while the two drums g and h rotate in opposite directions, as has been seen, and at a speed relatively less than that of the shaft f, the speed of the two winding drums is sub stantially the same.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, I have there indicated diagrammatically the relation of the operating cables to the winding drums g and Z1 and the trolley carriage. The latter designated by 7:, is adapted to run upon the cable-way Z. In the simplest and preferred embodiment of my invention the carriage is provided with two winding drums is secured each to one end of the depending hoisting rope carrying the skip hook 71; and adapted when oppositely rotated to raise or lower the said hook. Secured to the hoisting drums 70 are the larger winches 70*, about which are carried with several turns the opposing loops Z and Z of the operating cable system which herein, and preferably, comprises a single endless cable. The strand Z of the loop Z passes to the end of the cable-way at which the drums g and iv are located, to and about the drum h and returning forms the strand Z, which passes to the opposite end of the cable-way and thence about suitable sheaves again to the trolley carriage to form one strand of the loop Z The other strand Z of the loop Z passes to and about the drum g and thence forming the strand Z passes to the opposite end of the cable-way and thence to the carriage to form the remaining strand of the loop Z lVhen the brake bands and h are tightened to throw in the slow reverse speed, the drums g and 7b rotate in the relations shown in Fig. i and cause the respective strands of the endless cable to move in the directions indicated by the arrows, from which it will be seen that the winches 7e" are caused to be oppositely rotated to raise the hook 7: and effect hoisting of the load. During this operation no change in position of the carriage is effected, for the loops Z" and Z remain of the same length, one strand of each being paid outas rapidly as the other is drawn in.

hen the load has been hoisted and it is desired to cause travel of the carriage, the latter may be effected by producing conditions of cable movement shown in Fig. 5, where it will be observed that the direction of movement of the drum It has been reversed, the new relative rotation of the drums preferably taking place, as it will appear, at an increased speed. As will be seen from the arrows indicating the direction of cable movement, this causes a similar movement of each strand of the two opposing loops, so that one loop is lengthened while the other is correspondingly shortened with the result that, without movement of the winches 70 or hoisting drums 70, the carriage has traversed in the direction of the shortened loop. Thus, in Fig. 5, the loop Z will continue to be lengthened and the loop Z shortened so long as the rotation of the drums g and i2, is carried on and the trolley carriage is will be moved to the left, the hook and its attached load however being held in its initial elevated position.

Referring now to Fig. 8 and also to Figs. 1 and 2, the reverse movement of the winding drums is preferably effected by causing them to be driven directly from the'driving shaft In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 8, a clutch member m is fixedly secured to the shaft Z intermediate the rotatable members 9 and h The latter are provided with cone-shaped surfaces g and 72. respectively, which overlie and cooperate with corresponding surfaces upon the clutch member m, in connection with suitable friction material m intermediate the two sets of surfaces, forming thereby a clutch device for clutching the rotatable members to the shaft. The two clutches are thrown simultaneously into engagement through any clutclroperating device, such for example as that illustrated in re-issued Letters Patent No. 12,085 granted to me February 24, 1903. For this purpose there is provided a collar n slidably mounted on the shaft 7 and adapted to be forced against the abutting face of the drum-carrying element 9* by the clutch-operating screws a threaded in a stationary abutment formed by a part of the engine frame. The clutchoperating screws are moved to slide the collar along the shaft by means of levers n (Figs. 1 and 2) connected by suitable linkage to the rocker shaft w, the latter in turn being comiected through links 7? to the clutch-operating lever 77, and under control of and near the operator. A second sliding collar (broken away in Fig. is also located at the opposite end of the shaft abutting against the face of the drum-carrying element h and is adapted to be forced against the latter by means of clutchoperating screws and levers, the latter also connected to the rocker shaft 11'' in the same manner as has been already described. Movement of the clutch-operating lever causes simultaneous inward movement of the two sliding collars and also of the two slidably mounted drum carrying members, the latter having their inward peripheral faces in abutment against the faces of the rotatable members 9 and h, which are also slidable on the shaft, so that the members 5 and h are caused to be moved inwardly and with their cone surfaces in frictional engagement with the surfaces of the clutch member f. When this takes place in each case two of the three gearing elements are fixed relatively to the shaft and the third element carried by each winding drum is also looked directly to the driving shaft.

The full operation of the device will be apparent. The carriage is traversed from one point to another at the relatively high rate of speed by throwing the clutch-operating lever to drive the winding drums shown in Fig. 5 directly from the driving shaft. When properly positioned the carriage may be held with or without its load by holding the driving shaft against rotation, which may be done through the engine itself or by the brake bands 9 and it, if desired. hen the load is ready for hoisting, the clutch lever may be thrown out of engagement and the friction lever into engagement to give the relatively slow reverse movement to the drums. Vhen suitably elevated, the load is again traversed by throwing the clutch into and the friction out of engagement.

The reversal of the hoisting or traversing movement may be effected by permitting re verse movement of the driving motor. In the present instance I have provided a suitable reversing-gear indicated in outline in Fig. 2 (but partly removed from Fig. l) and operated from the rock shaft 0, the latter in turn being moved through links 0 and the reversing lever 0 The slow speed which is utilized on the hoisting movement permits the application of increased power to the lifting of the load without, however, bringing any material strain upon the brake bands, since but a fractional part of the entire load is required to be held by each band. The members g and 71 which constitute the rotatable members of each planetary gearing system, are preferably provided with means which maintain them in generally the same relative position, such means herein being a series of pins m which are secured to a radial flange m upon the member 72 and pass loosely through oppositely located holes in a corresponding flange upon the member 9. This permits each clutch face to adjust itself to its corresponding friction surface when the clutch is thrown into engagement, while still maintaining the two clutch members in a generally fixed relation. By securing the movable members together, the actual force necessary to apply to the clutch for holding the load while the carriage is being traversed, is reduced, for the planetary gearing connection between the shaft and the two members 9 and it being reversed the strains upon the two clutch faces are in opposite directions permitting the greater to be partly neutralized by the lesser.

Many variations in the relation of the driving elements will be evident to those skilled in the art and I have deemed it unnecessary to refer to any save those shown in Figs. 6 and 7, it being understood that my invention is in no respect limited in the details or relative arrangement of parts in any of the specific illustrations shown.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the driving pinions and drums mounted upon the driving shaft f in substantially the same relation as shown in Fig. 3, but the stationary clutch member We is here dispensed with and the rotatable members, namely, the pinion [L2 and the internal gear 9 of the two systems of planetary gearing, are carried upon one and the same rotatable element p, and the latter is directly clutched to the drum-carrying members 7L0 and g to cause interlocking of the planetary gearing in each case for the direct drive of the drums from the driving shaft. This construction recommends itself for its simplicity, but since the two drums lack the common clutching effect of the construction shown in Fig. 3, and are separately clutched to the rotatable member 7), the effect of the two clutches is accumulative and a greater force is required to effect the clutching in the hoisting apparatus of Fig. 6 than in that of Fig. 3, and I accordingly prefer the latter in practice.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the two drums with their driving mechanism upon separate shafts f and f. In this case the rotatable members Zr and g are connected through' intermeshing gear teeth 9, thus preserving a fixed relation at all times between the respective planetary gearing elements carried by and rotating therewith. Separate clutch members 111. and m are fixedly secured upon the two shafts and are also connected by intermeshing gear teeth r, one with the other. Each clutch member is adapted to be engaged with its adjacent and corresponding rotatable member through friction clutches m and m by means of suitable clutch-operating devices (not shown). Since the clutch members m and m are geared together, obviously a single clutch m or m could be used if desired. The single brake band m encircling the member is suflicient to hold stationary both rotatable members when a slow speed hoisting movement is desired.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the various details or form and arrangement of parts which have been herein described, the same being submitted for illustrative purposes, but that many modifications may be made in the system, as I have herein described the same, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

&

I claim.

1. In an apparatus of the class described the combination with a driving shaft, a pair of winding drums coaxially arranged thereon, means for positively rotating said drums from said shaft at one speed in the same direction or at a different speed in opposite directions.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a driving shaft of a pair of winding drums coaXially arranged thereon, means for driving both of the drums from said shaft directly at one speed in the same direction, and planetary gearing between the said shaft and each of said drums for driving the same at a different speed in opposite directions.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a driving member, of a pair of winding drums, speed reduction gearing between the driving member and the winding drums to drive the latter and clutch means common to said drums and between the latter and said driving member to drive the drums at another speed.

4;. The combination with a pair of winding drums, of driving means therefor, means for driving said drums from said driving means at one speed, and planetary gearing for driving said drums at a reduced speed, said gearing comprising in each case a rotatable gearing member, the rotatable gearing member for one drum being connected to the rotatable gearing member for the other.

5. The combination with a pair of winding drums of driving means therefor, plane tary gearing driving said drums at a reduced speed, said gearing comprising in each case a gearing member carried by the drum, a gearing member connected to the driving means and connected rotatable members and means for clutching the rotatable members to the driving means for driving said drums directly from said driving means.

6. The combination with a pair of winding drums of driving means therefor, and additional driving means comprising planetary gearing for driving the same at a reduced speed, said gearing comprising in each case a rotatable gearing member, means for opposing movement of said rotatable gearing members, and means for clutching the same directly to the driving means.

7. The combination with a pair of winding drums, of driving means therefor, and additional driving means comprising planetary gearing for driving said drums at a reduced speed, said gearing comprising in each case a rotatable gearing member, means for opposing movement of said rotatable gearing member to render effective said planetary gearing, and means for interlocking said planetary gearing to cause direct drive from said driving means to said drums.

8. The combination with a pair of Winding drums of driving means therefor, and additional driving means comprising planetary gearing for driving said drums at a reduced speed comprising in each case a gearing element connected to the drum, and a gearing element connected to the driving means and a gearing element connected to a rotatable member, means for opposing movement of the rotatable members to render effective said planetary gearing, and means for interlocking said gearing for direct drive from said driving means to said drum.

9. The combination with a pair of winding drums of driving means therefor, and additional driving means comprising planetary gearing for driving said drumsat a reduced speed comprising in each case a gearing element connected to a drum, a gearing element connected to the driving means and a gearing element connected to a rotatable member, means for opposing movement of said rotatable members, and means for clutching said members directly to the driving means.

10. The combination with a driving shaft of a pair of winding drums upon said shaft, planetary gearing for driving said drums in opposite directions at a reduced speed comprising in each case a gearing element connected to a drum, a gearing element connected to driving means, and a gearing element connected to a rotatable member, means for opposing movement of said rotatable members, a member intermediate the same secured to said shaft, and means for clutching said rotatable members to said intermediate member.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a rope-winding device having a pair of rope-winding drums, a driving shaft, means for connecting said drums to said shaft for similar driving movement, and planetary gearing means for driving the same in relatively reverse directions at a different speed for a different rope-winding movement.

12. A rope-winding device having a driving shaft, a pair of drums adapted to be connected to said shaft for similar driving movement, and planetary gearing for at least one of said drums whereby the latter may be driven in a reverse direction at a reduced speed.

13. A rope-winding device having a driving shaft, a pair of drums adapted to be connected to said shaft for similar driving movement, and planetary gearing between the drums and said shaft whereby the former may be driven in opposite directions at a reduced speed.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of winding drums co-aXially arranged, a driving shaft therefor, and planetary gearing between said shaft and each of said drums.

15. The combination with a winding drum, of a driving shaft therefor, a clutching device on said driving shaft, planetary gearing between the drum and shaft comprising a gearing member connected to the shaft, a gearing member connected to the drum and a rotatable gearing member for clutching said rotatable member to the clutching device or for holding the same stationary.

16. The combination with a pair of winding drums, of a driving shaft on which the same are co-aXially arranged, a clutching member between said drums, planetary gearing between said shaft and each of said drums comprising in each case a gearing member driven by the shaft, a gearing member secured to the drum and arotatable gearing member and means for clutching the rotatable member, in each case, to the clutching member or for holding the same fixed.

17. The combination with a pair of wind ing drums, of a driving shaft on which the same are co-axially arranged, a clutching member between said drums, planetary gearing between each shaft and each of said drums, comprising, in each case, a gearing member driven by the shaft, a gearing member secured to the drum and a rotatable gearing member, and means for clamping the rotatable member, in each case, to the clutching member for holding the same fixed, the two rotatable members being connected to rotate together.

18. The combination with a pair of winding drums, of planetary gearing for driving each of said drums, comprising, in each case, a driven gearing member, a gearing member secured to the drum, and a rotatable gearing member, said rotatable gearing members being connected to be turned one with the other, clutching means, means for clutching the rotatable members to the clutching means, and means for holding the rotatable members fixed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALMON E. NORRIS.

WVitnesses:

DAISY C. GWINN, THOMAS B. BOOTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

